Mail-crane.



J. H. REESE.

MAIL CRANE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30. 1915.

1, 146,27 9. Patented July 13, 1915.

'nivr FFIQE.

JAMES H. REESE, or SOUTH CHARLESTON, onr nssreivon or ONE-HALF To WILLIAM M. HUFFMAN, or sou'rrr CHARLESTON, oHIo.

MAIL-CRANE.

. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 13, 1915,

Application filed January 30, 1915. Serial N 0. 5,266. g

To allwhom itmay concern: I

Be it known that I, James H. REEsE, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Charleston, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Cranes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had. to the accompanying drawings. V

This invention relates to an improved mail crane or support, and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character adapted to be arranged adjacent to a railroad track for supporting a mail bag in convenient position to be received .by a suitable catcher carried by the mail sack, and means for operating an alarm-t0 indicate that the mail bag has been caught and removed from the crane. .1 I

The invention has for a more particular object to provide a pair of pivotally mounted bag supporting arms slidably arranged upon a suitable standard, means for raising or elevating said arms after a bag has been attachedtheretma latch device to retain the arms in their elevated positions, an alarm bell, and means engaged by one of the arms after the bag has been removed and said arms released from the latch device to ring said bell.

The invention has for a further object to generally improve and simplify the c0nstuction of devices of this character and render the same highly convenient and serviceable in practical use.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a mail crane embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the bag receiving arms in their lower pendant position after the bell has been rung; and Fig. 3 is a top-plan view.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates a vertical post or standard which is suitably mounted at one side of the railroad track. Upon this standard a sleeve 6 is keyed for vertical sliding movement. The upward movement of said sleeve is limited by a cap 7 which is suitably fixed upon the upper end of the post. Upon opposite ends of the sleeve 6, the arms 8 are pivoted as at 9. The outer ends .of these arms are provided with resilient outwardly projecting spring fingers 10 to receive rings or loops upon the opposite ends of a mail bag or sack S. i

In an upright or support 11 fixed upon the cap 7 a guide sheave or pulley 12 is jour-' naled. An upwardly inclined arm or rod 13 is alsov fixed upon the cap 7 and extends'on the opposite side of the standard 5 with respect tov the bag receiving arms 8. In the outer end ofthis inclined arm, a second pulley or sheave 1 1 is journaled. A bar 15 is securely clamped or otherwise fixed at one of its ends to the standard 11. To the outer end of this bar 15 a spring clamp or latch device 16v is secured, said device having spaced resilient plates to engage upon opposite sides of the upper bag holding arm 8.

At a point adjacent the lower end of the post or-standard 5, a collar 17 isfsecured thereon, upon which a lever 18 is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends as at 19. One end of this lever is weighted as shown at 20, and to the same a bell 21 is suitably attached, the hammer of the bell being loosely connected to the body thereof so that it is swung or agitated when the bell is vibrated. To this weight 20 the lower end of a bar 22 is pivotally connected, the upper end of said bar being provided with a longitudinal slot 23 to receive a pin 24 fixed in the upwardly inclined arm 18. This pin limits the downward movement of thebar 22, and consequently of the weighted end of the lever 18. To the upper bag receiving arm 8, one end of a chain or cable 25 is attached, said cable being trained over the guide sheaves or pulleys 12 and 14.

In the operation of the device, the bag is properly arranged upon thearms 8 which normally hang in apendant position on the sleeve 6. The cable or chain 25 is then pulled to raise or elevate the bag carrying arms upon the standard 5. The latch device 16 engaging with the upper arm 8, retains said arms in their elevated positions. After the catcher arm on the mail car has engaged the bag or sack, the arms will drop by gravity upon the standard 5 owing to the downward pull upon the upper finger" 10 which will disengage the upper arm from the latch 16, said arms swinging inwardly toward the standard 5. The spring finger 10 on the lower arm 8 has its outer end reversely curved, and is adapted to engage the end of the lever 18 with considerable force, thereby moving the other weighted end of said lever upwardly, such movement being limited by the pin 24: engaging the end of the slot 23. The arms 8 and sleeve 6 on which they are mounted, will rebound slightly so as to allow the lever 18 to return to its normal position and then again engage said lever. In this manner, it will be seen that I have produced a very simple and at the same time desirable and convenient mail crane or bag support. The device may be manufactured at comparatively small cost and, owing to the few number of elements employed in its construction, the same is also highly durable and eflicient in operation.

While I have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of considerable modification therein, and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a standard and a vertically movable bag holder mounted thereon, of a lever pivotally mounted upon said standard, one end of said lever being adapted for engagement by a part of the bag holder when the same gravitates downwardly on the standard, and an alarm bell upon the other end of said lever.

2. The combination with a standard and a vertically movable bag holder mounted thereon, of a lever pivotally mounted upon said standard, one end of said lever being adapted for engagement by a part of the bag holder when the same gravitates downwardly on the standard, an alarm bell upon the other end of said lever, and means for limiting the pivotal movement of said lever.

3. The combination with a standard and a bag holder vertically movable thereon, of a lever pivotally mounted upon said standard and weighted at one end for gravity movement, an arm fixed to the standard, a bar pivotally connected at one of its ends to the welghted end of said lever and provided in its other end with a slot, a pin on said arm disposed in said slot to limit the sliding movement of said bar, one end of said lever being normally disposed in position Jior engagement by a part of the bag holder whereby said lever is actuated, and an alarm bell on the weighted end of said lever.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. REESE, Witnesses:

WM. PORTER, U. G. CREAMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

